Final Summary from 2022 Legislative Session

February 13, 2024

Final Summary from 2022 Legislative Session

GREETINGS UNM RETIREE ASSOCIATION, 

The 30-day legislative session has ended. There were many firsts in this session. Two firsts come to mind. The largest budget of House Bill 2 for 8.5 billion of recurring monies to ever be sent to a governor in New Mexico passed with bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate. The opposition to education bills affecting teacher raises and the education defined pension benefit for retirees was minimal to non-existent in some cases. 

Five hundred bills were filed, and 64 bills passed; however, this is the lowest number of legislations approved during a 30-day session in a decade. Reasons for the low number of bills passed may be attributed to hearings conducted remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions leading to a slower process and bills being stalled by the lengthy debates from late into the night and into the early morning hours by the minority party and their use of legislative rules to slow some bill’s ever moving forward. Senator Sharer, R-Farmington, effectively killed the voting rights bill, SB 144, with his over two hour filibuster soliloquy which went on until adjournment of the 55th Legislative – 2nd Session. There is always next year for some of those languishing bills from this session. 

We are happy to report the two bills we have been following, Senate Bill 36, Contributions to the Educational Retirement, Sponsors Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Natalie Figueroa and House Bill 73/Senate Bill 172, Educational Retirees Return to Work, Sponsors Representative Joy Garratt, Representative Phelps Anderson, and Senator George Munoz both received a FINAL DO PASS. The bills are now sitting on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk where they are waiting to be acted upon by Wednesday, March 9, 2022. 

We want to thank all of the sponsors, Senator Stewart, Representative Figueroa, Representative Garratt, Representative Anderson, and Senator Munoz for seeing these bills through the process and working to get them passed. It truly was a first that the opposition to both bills was minimal compared to previous years. In many of the committees, the bills received unanimous support. As Representative Jason Harper asked, what was the secret sauce this session? I think we can safely say finding the right sponsors, their hours of hard work over many months before and during the session, staying on message and all of our collective voices. 

Therefore, we want to thank all of our UNM Retiree Association members too for everything you did to help get these bills to the Governor’s desk. 

It is still not over until the governor signs the bill into law. Contact Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office to let your voice be heard once again. https://www.governor.state.nm.us/contact-the-governor/ & (505) 476-2200. 

UNM RA TRACKED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: 

ERB: 

HB 73 & SB 172, EDUCATIONAL RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK
Sponsor: Representatives Joy Garratt and Phelps Anderson & Rep. Garratt and Senator Munoz.
Synopsis: Governor's Bill. Exempts retired ERA members who “sit out” for at least 90 days after retirement and return to employment for no more than 36 consecutive months from the requirement to suspend pension benefits during that employment. Status: HB 73 HEC received a unanimous DO PASS. The bill moved to the House Labor Veterans & Military Committee (HLVMC) where it received a unanimous DO PASS. The House gave the bill a DO PASS on 2/12/22, 62 Yes and 1 No. The Senate Education Committee on 2/14/22 gave SB 73 a unanimous DO PASS. SB 73 received a unanimous FINAL DO PASS in the Senate on 2/17/22, with 41 Yes and 0 No votes.

Current Location: It moved to the Governor’s desk where it must be acted upon by March 9, 2022. 

SB 36, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EDUCATIONAL RETIREMENT
Sponsor: Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Natalie Figueroa
Synopsis: The bill consists of an increased employer/state contribution with the goal to achieve full funding in a shorter period of time. Increases the rate of contribution by local administrative units (employer’s share) to the Educational Retirement Fund from the current 15.15 percent of a member’s annual salary to 17.15 percent as of July 1, 2022, and 18.15 percent as of July 1, 2023. Increases contributions by state educational institutions for participants in the alternative retirement plan from the current 4.25 percent to 6.25 percent as of July 1, 2022, and 7.25 percent as of July 1, 2023. It does not include changes to the ERB COLA!

Status: SB 36 received a unanimous DO PASS and moved to the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) where it received a DO PASS, 9 Yes, 1 No votes and 1 Excused. Received a DO PASS in the Senate, 35 Yes and 0 No votes. Received a DO PASS, 7 Yes and 0 No votes in the House Education Committee. SB 36 received a unanimous DO PASS in the House Appropriations and Finance Committee (HAFC) on 2/14/22. It was moved to the House where it received a FINAL DO PASS, 52 Yes and 12 No votes on 2/15/22.

Current Location: It moved to the Governor’s desk where it must be acted upon by March 9, 2022. 

Please stay tuned for future updates! 

IT IS UP TO ALL OF US TO PROTECT OUR BENEFITS!!! WHAT CAN YOU DO?? 

Track the bill – State bill finder site - https://nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Bill_Finder

Sign up with UNM Government and Community Relations to receive bill

Sign up with UNM Government and Community Relations to receive bill updates and alerts – https://govrel.unm.edu/updates/index.html.

Know your state senators and representatives contact information before you really need it - Find your legislator by address - https://www.nmlegis.gov/Members/Find_By_Address

Write, call or tweet legislators - CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD - (505-986-4300) & #nmlegis 

2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION CALENDAR:

  • Monday, January 3 – Friday, January 14 - Legislation may be pre-filed.
  • Tuesday, January 18 - Opening day (noon)
  • Wednesday February 2 - Deadline for introduction (Note: a legislation, dummy bill can be introduced at any time.)
  • Thursday, February 17 - Session ends (noon)
  • Wednesday, March 9 - Legislation not acted upon by the governor is
    pocket vetoed.
  • Wednesday, May 18 - The effective date of legislation, not a general appropriation bill or a bill carrying an emergency clause or other specified date.

Sincerely,

UNM Retiree Association Board